Cyclists, motorists just need to pay heed

If Salas Sanchez-Bennasar could ride a bicycle safely on the streets of New York, she figured she could handle N. High Street.

Theodore Decker, The Columbus Dispatch

If Salas Sanchez-Bennasar could ride a bicycle safely on the streets of New York, she figured she could handle N. High Street.

So when she was cautioned while borrowing a bike for a trip from her temporary Clintonville home to the Ohio State University campus and back, she listened to the advice but doubted that she had much to worry about.

“I ride my bicycle in Brooklyn all the time,” she said. “I should have no problem here.”

Witnesses say that what happened shortly after midnight on Feb. 18 was not the fault of Sanchez-Bennasar, 32, a New York doctoral student of philosophy who was in Columbus for several weeks to work on her dissertation. She was hit from behind by an SUV or pickup truck whose driver kept going. She was left with a broken hip and shattered facial bones.

Cycling advocates say they are thankful that crashes like the one that injured Sanchez-Bennasar remain uncommon in central Ohio. But as the temperature rises, so does the frequency of bicyclist-vehicle crashes, statistics show.

Of the 534,084 “units” involved in crashes statewide — a term that includes cars, trucks, Amish buggies and pedestrians — 2,037 were bicycles, according to statistics for 2010, the most recent year available.

“Being hit by a car is a very rare occurrence for cyclists, but when it happens, it’s potentially catastrophic,” said Jeff Stephens, executive director of the Columbus-based advocacy group Consider Biking.

The type of crash that left Sanchez-Bennasar seriously injured is a common concern among bicyclists but one that doesn’t happen often.

“Only 3 percent of the bicyclist-motorist accidents occur when a bicyclist is hit from behind,” said Chuck Smith, chairman of the Ohio Bicycle Federation. “That’s really what most people fear while riding in traffic but, ironically, it happens very, very rarely.”

Of the bicycle-related crashes, 81 percent involved injury; eight crashes were fatal. Nearly 70 percent occurred between May and September, and just more than half occurred between 3 and 9 p.m., MORPC said.

Sanchez-Bennasar was riding home after a day on campus that ended with a colleague’s birthday party. She did make one grave mistake: She was not wearing a helmet.

One minute, she was pedaling north on High Street near Blake Avenue. The next, she was on her way to a hospital.

“I don’t even want to think about it because it makes me sad,” she said.

Jeff Aldridge was walking with a friend when he heard the crash. He first thought a passing vehicle had hit a parked car’s side-view mirror. Then he saw a body and a bicycle in the road.

“My stomach just dropped,” he said.

Sanchez-Bennasar was unconscious. When she came to, she was confused and terrified, he said. “ You could just see it in her eyes. Her eyes were as big as quarters.”

Witnesses said the truck looked like an older, faded bluish-gray Chevrolet K5 Blazer with a white cap and a loud exhaust. A police crash report says it might have been a 1990 gray Ford.

Stephens said Columbus is becoming more bicycle-friendly — a good thing for everyone on the road.

“We know when we put more cyclists on the road, there is more awareness and the safety of cyclists increases,” Stephens said. “They’ll get out there in droves, and then the safety increases for all.”

Weiner said drivers should remember that bicycles have a right to be on the road.

“A bicycle is a vehicle in the state of Ohio and required to follow all the rules of the road,” Smith pointed out.

But just as with scofflaw motorists, that doesn’t always happen.

“We see some bicyclists out there who run red lights, who are weaving in and out of traffic,” Weiner said. “They’re doing it the wrong way.”

Sanchez-Bennasar has returned to New York without learning who hit her.

“If all goes well, I will be able to walk again fine,” she said. “I don’t want this accident to completely mess up my life.”

But when it comes to getting back on a bike, she’s not so sure.

“I don’t know how I feel about driving next to cars again.”

tdecker@dispatch.com

Road rules

FOR BICYCLISTS • Obey all traffic laws, including stopping for red lights and stop signs. • Ride with traffic. Do not pass automobiles in your lane on the right. • Keep your eyes and mind on the road. • Wear a properly fitting helmet, even on the shortest ride. • Do not ride on sidewalks. Under the Columbus city code, only young children are permitted to ride on sidewalks. • Keep your bike in working order. • Use proper hand signals before turning or slowing to stop. • Ride single file or no more than two abreast. • Ride predictably. • Be visible. Wear bright clothing. Use a bicycle headlight and taillight at night and in rain or other inclement weather.

FOR MOTORISTS

• Remember the law: Bicyclists belong on the road and have the same rights of way as motorists. Bicyclists may move to the center of the lane to avoid road hazards or if the lane is narrow. Bicyclists may change lanes when making a left turn, passing parked vehicles or slower-moving vehicles, and moving left out of a right-turn-only lane to proceed straight through an intersection. • Keep your eyes and mind on the road. • Pass with care, allowing at least 3 feet between you and a bicyclist. • When making a left turn, yield to oncoming bikes. • Before making a right turn, check over your right shoulder for bicycles approaching on your right. • Look for approaching bicyclists before opening your car doors. • Don’t blast your horn when approaching bicyclists. • Wait to pass a bicyclist if there is oncoming traffic or your view of oncoming traffic is obstructed. • When pulling out of a driveway, watch for and yield to bicyclists as you would any approaching car. Source: Columbus Department of Public Service

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